It gives me great pleasure to once again welcome Mr. Del Mar, otherwise known as Matthew Galbreth, for another guest author piece. When we last left him, Matt was galvanizing some ideas he’d been kicking around in his head about how to generate renewed interest for the game. Now he’s returned with another idea for how to connect with the younger generation that the sport so badly needs.
The horse racing world has never seen a talent like this and probably never will again. Bolt Speedman rode a promising young talent aptly named MEGA HORSE, who he also owns, to victory at Hollywood Park June 30th only to retire that same day with a one for one undefeated record. Maybe some of you have never heard of Bolt Speedman, but many of you probably have heard of Pro Skateboarder and MTV star Rob Dyrdek. Mr. Dyrdek has many talents and goes by many names, some of you may know him as R&B sensation Bobby Light. I think his most impressive performance yet came on the day the man wore the soon to be legendary DC silks.
The entire horse racing industry knows the importance of attracting new fans, horseplayers and owners to our sport. Recently the industry has been on the right track by trying to attract more youth to our sport. With Mr. Dyrdek involved and the beach culture that Del Mar happily attracts every season we may just get some new youthful fans that challenge the notion that horse racing is a sport for the wealthy and may not be the sport of kings, it’s a sport for everyone. This is evident in TVG’s Pick 4 Posse and has always been a main staple of my favorite track’s marketing strategy, Del Mar. Horse racing has been called the sport of kings, long before that and still to this day surfing is also called the sport of kings. The battle for this namesake finds neutral ground under the white California Flag of truce where the surf meets the turf at old Del Mar.
I’m sure some of you are wondering, surfing the sport of kings? That’s right. When Captain James Cook first discovered the Hawaiian Islands in 1778 he found what seemed to him some rather strange behavior from the natives. He saw them standing on strange wooden planks and moving effortlessly along the face of breaking waves. He was even more shocked to see the royalty of this culture take part in this activity and be for what seemed to him inappropriately dressed for monarchy. The ancient Hawaiian royals even had surfboards shaped to give them an edge on their subjects and special locations where only royalty could take part in this strange activity, hence he deemed it the sport of kings.
I’m on the wrong side of 25, but still hold the tag of a 20 something. Most of my friends are around my same age and most of them have very different and usually negative opinions about my pursuit of being a true professional horseplayer and my love of the game. They change their tune when Del Mar is open and ask me for handicapping advice on a daily basis. Why is this? It’s because they are not going there for horse racing they are going there for dollar beers, a chance at meeting the lovely ladies in attendance and a day of enjoying the view of the Pacific. Many of them, especially those who made some money off my plays, end up fans of our sport simply by getting in the door and having a chance to see these amazing equine athletes. I wish Del Mar was open more often as it seems to be our best chance at making horse racing cool and bringing in some new fans.
Bolt Speedman AKA Rob Dyrdek may have done just as much for our sport in just one episode of his hit MTV show “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” as all the top horse racing marketing researchers have in a year. I would hope all of you try to watch this episode, maybe use the old DVR as a way to return the favor he has done for all of us tune in on Thursday nights and fling this man some ratings, I started doing it for Jim Rome for the same reasons.
I have another idea that goes beyond just Mr. Dyrdek. When the many celebrities that love horse racing attend the track let’s roll out the red carpet, let’s treat them like royalty and let’s try to make them more visible and more vocal about our beloved sport. Maybe have a Rob Dyrdek day where we invite many action sports superstars to watch MEGA HORSE trounce the competition. If there are concerns about having so many young people there on one day, I think that can be resolved by giving them a place to go. Maybe set a section aside for the 20 somethings where they can all hang out in the same area and have a different place for families to go, maybe the infield, here’s another one… how about pony rides for the kids in the infield, a strong presence of security and a daycare facility where the parents can drop them off for an hour or two and enjoy some time as a couple.
It can be done my good friends and I think the time to hesitate is through, let’s see horse racing break on through to the other side. The side of major network coverage, the side where the newcomers don’t feel intimidated, but welcomed, the side where there are many different ways to enjoy the track and everyone has a place just for them. If you see someone new at the track or online at sites like the TVG Community help them, I promise you it won’t cut into your win odds much if any at all and you may have a lot more fun, I am. This may not be the sport of kings stateside, leave that for the Europeans, we are democratic and united baby. Let’s see that California Flag and the DC silks more and more, and let’s all give a big hand to Bolt Speedman a brave man who climbed on one these beasts and rode it to victory in his very first start as a jockey.
Belmont champion Summer Bird (Birdstone) romped home to victory in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga on Saturday afternoon, defeating highly regarded competitors Quality Road, Charitable Man, and Kensei.
The “other bird” now suddenly finds himself atop the 3-year-old colt division, having firmly rested that title from Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird – at least for the moment.
Big congratulations go out to trainer Tim Ice, who has always believed that his fabulous looking colt deserved a shot to face the best and has not been hesitant to run him against the most formidable foes around in both Rachel Alexandra and Quality Road.
We mentioned in the Haskell write-up that Tim was a stand-up guy that we’d be cheering for from here on out. After all the hype about Quality Road , and after all the attention that folks like me gave Kensei and Charitable Man, it was the good guy in Tim Ice that came out on top. What a year he’s having! 35 years-old and already has a Belmont and a Travers under his belt, not to mention most likely a 3-year-old male Eclipse Award.
Trainer Tim Ice and owners of Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes champion Summer Bird pose for a picture with our family on the morning of the 2009 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
Hats off to the fantastic job they’ve done with the son of Birdstone, who seems to be following in his daddy’s footsteps with his victories in the Belmont and Travers.
Summer Bird showed the same tenacity in capturing the Travers that had allowed him to battle gamely for 2nd against Rachel in the Haskell, powering home in 2:02.83. Hold Me Back finished in 2nd with Quality Road and Charitable Man rounding out the superfecta.
As for what might be next? Well, no official word has been released, and likely won’t until they have a chance to check out Summer Bird following the race and ensure everything is sound. I will share that I asked Tim back in July what his long term goals were, and he mentioned the Travers first and foremost, but then also said that they were considering the Goodwood as a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup this fall.
Meanwhile, the procession of winners who last out ran into the dominant filly Rachel Alexandra and then returned to win continues with each passing day. Earlier in the day, the last filly to have defeated Rachel Alexandra, Sara Louise, returned to the winner’s circle by prevailing in the Victory Ride (Grade 3). The list of runners who have returned from facing Rachel to prevail next out just continues to grow and grow, and has become an angle that handicappers cannot ignore. Sara Louise, Gabby’s Golden Gal, Take the Points, Flashing – these are the runners in recent memory to have turned defeat at the hands of Rachel the Great into victory next out.
This is important because one might expect that horses would regress after being defeated as soundly as Rachel has done to them. Instead, the direct opposite has been true, and the filly winds up being flattered nearly every weekend as her legend continues to build.
It serves as a nice buffer to the “she hasn’t beaten anybody” claims that seem to get tossed around about all of the top horses when you can quickly look back and reference a growing pool of recent foes who have acquitted themselves on the race track upon returning from their “blind date with Rachel.”
Unfortunately, Munnings, third place finisher behind both Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird in the Haskell at Monmouth Park, was not able to continue the string of runners to turn a Rachel encounter into a triumphant return. Vineyard Haven, that tenacious son of Lido Palace who at one point in his 2-year-old campaign adorned the top of nearly every “Derby watch list” one could find, proved that a return to Saratoga was indeed just what the doctor ordered. He powered home on top, but wound up drifting out badly in the lane, only to be disqualified from the win following a determined run from Capt. Candyman Can, who wound up being placed on top by the stewards after an inquiry into the bumper-car action of Vineyard Haven late in the stretch.
Well, it’s sure been an exciting week here at The Aspiring Horseplayer. We began with a reflection on whether it was proper for Rachel Alexandra to have pointed to the Woodward instead of the Travers. With the 140th running of the Travers suddenly upon us, such questions have been rendered academic. Following hot on the heels of the excitement that was our first “cougar” related sighting earlier in the week, we’ll attempt to wade back into familiar territory with some selections for the major stakes races being run at Saratoga on Travers day.
Race 7 – The Victory Ride (Grade 3) – 6 Furlongs
#1 Bold Union/ #1A All of Her Twist (7/2)
#7 Selva (4/1)
#2 Trix in the City (10/1)
We get the party started with the 7th running of the Victory Ride for 3-year-old fillies sprinting 6 furlongs over the main track. The coupled entry of #1 Bold Union and #1A All of Her Twist for trainer Kelly Breen looks quite formidable here. Bold Union should be forwardly placed, while All of Her Twist will look to pick up the pieces late should the race fall apart. That tortoise and hare approach makes them a force to be reckoned with.
Amazingly, with the morning line favoritism has been placed upon #8 Sara Louise at 2/1. The daughter of Malibu Moon looks like a talented enough runner, and was last seen running behind some filly named Rachel Alexandra that you might have heard of – but that was all the way back in November. She might well be the class of the field, and certainly we’ve seen runners who were defeated by Queen Rachel return to win next out on several occasions, but pardon me if I’m not interested in eating 2/1 chalk on a horse that hasn’t been seen in so long. Now, if she makes a smashing impression in the post parade, I’ll gladly insert my foot into my mouth and deny having said any of the above. For now though, I’ll make her beat me at those odds.
Selva is an interesting runner for trainer David Carroll. The filly ran well in both the Beaumont (G2) and the Prioress (G1) and rates as a horse who may be sitting on a big race. She’s shown in the past that she doesn’t necessarily need the lead to prevail, and she picks up the services of Alan Garcia, who has been my main man all meet long.
The rest of the field looks fairly evenly matched, but I thought Linda Rice’s runner, #2 Trix in the City might offer some value underneath in the exotics. It’s hard to believe you can get a Gomez/Rice combo at 10/1 in any race. I guess folks only think of turf when they think of Linda Rice, but it’s worth noting she’s a very respectable 21% on dirt, and due for a graded stakes win.
$1 Trifecta: 1/2,7,8/2,7,8 ($6)
Race 9: The Ballston Spa (Grade 2) – 1 1/16 Miles – Turf
#1 Rutherienne (5/2)
#7 Cocoa Beach (2/1*)
#6 Captain’s Lover (6/1)
Looks like we’ve got a tough one to decipher here with the 21st running of the Grade 2 Ballston Spa. I could make a case for just about the entire field.
All joking aside, Cocoa Beach is a bit of a shaky favorite. While the Beyer figure and final time came up decent from her one mile victory in the DeLaRose, it wasn’t exactly a defining performance. Here’s the thing though – she found a way to prevail and has been a very consistent runner for most of her career. She also seems to run to the level of her competition, at least that’s my supposition, as I can’t otherwise fathom how one could go from within a length and a half of the undefeated Zenyatta to being 4th in the Floral Park? Obvious surface changes and conditions were a part of that procession, but still. At the end of the day, she’s a classy Grade 1 turf winner, who ought to have a shot in the stretch.
Rutherienne is a horse I usually use in my exotic wagers. Unfortunately for me, that typically means a close 2nd or 3rd place finish. That being said, it’s an obvious mistake to count her out of this fight here as she’s got what it takes to find the winner’s circle. Just looking over her running lines you can tell that she’s always right there and gives a strong account of herself. She was less than a length behind Forever Together and Caribbean Sunset in the Grade 1 Diana last out – another performance like that and she just might steal the show. Also note her record at the distance – 9 starts with 7 wins and 1 place. Looks like trainer Christophe Clement might have her in exactly the right spot.
Captain’s Lover is the x-factor here. It’s easy to dismiss her based on the most recent Beyer figure and the pedestrian workouts, but if you key off her effort 3 back in the Just A Game, she makes some sense here. I’d also pay some attention to #2 My Princess Jess underneath in the exotics, as this horse has proven to be lethal at the distance, including a whopping 100 Beyer performance that would make her a threat for top honors on a repeat.
$1 Trifecta: 1/2,6,7/ 2,3,5,6,7 ($12)
Race 10: The Ballerina (Grade 1) – 7 Furlongs
#4 Indian Blessing (8/5*)
#2 Informed Decision (2/1)
#3 Tar Heel Mom (10/1)
A small but talented field awaits bettors for the 31st running of the Ballerina. Morning line favoritism is awarded to the fan favorite Indian Blessing, who has spent some time on the shelf following a disappointing defeat to Cocoa Belle in the Desert Storm Handicap back in June. You might recall trainer Bob Baffert indicating that he believed that effort could be blamed on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park, after which he announced that she would head east and never been seen on synthetics again. So much for Jess Jackson being the only guy in the sport to detest synthetics. Sprinting on the dirt she’s a force to be reckoned with, and I suspect we’ll see a bit of the old Indian Blessing that we all knew and loved last year. That’s if, of course, the trip to Dubai and the let down in Los Angeles didn’t sap her strength.
Informed looks like the logical threat on paper, but all of her more gaudy Beyer figures (i.e., all of those in excess of 100) were achieved on synthetic surfaces at Keeneland and Arlington Park. Don’t let that fool you too much though, as she’s a proven Grade 1 winner on dirt as well – it’s just that dirt might not be her “best” surface. One thing you can’t argue with is a perfect 5 for 5 record at the tricky 7 furlong distance. That, my friends, makes Informed a “must use” on the exotics no matter how you feel about Indian Blessing.
Music Note is an interesting runner who in a deeper field might offer more value. Sadly, with just 6 contenders to choose from, she’s a virtual lock to be close to morning line odds of 5/2. Obviously you must forgive the last race to include her. Ultimately though, I sided with #3 Tar Heel Mom to round out the selections as I was looking for a little value underneath. I have questions about whether 7 furlongs is up Music Note’s alley, but I don’t have those concerns about Tar Heel Mom. Add to the equation that I’m getting Alan Grcia at 10/1 and I’m all ready to hop aboard this bandwagon – at least for a minor award. I’ll also give P.S.U. Grad a tiny bit of coverage on the bottom of the trifecta.
$1 Trifecta: 4/2,3/ 1,2,3,6 ($8)
Race 11: The King’s Bishop (Grade 1) – 7 Furlongs
#2 Munnings (2/1*)
#3 Capt. Candyman Can (4/1)
#1 Vineyard Haven (7/2)
The 25th running of the NetJets King’s Bishop features 8 contenders and is filled with intrigue.
The horse most, including myself, will focus on is #2 Munnings. He proved he could be a warrior at a longer distance, despite being a Speightstown colt, by digging in and hanging on for third against Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird in the historic running of the Haskell Invitational last month. Now he returns to a more favorable distance, and if Jess Jackson’s comments following the Haskell prove correct, he could make this academic. Jackson, you may recall, indicated that he thought Munnings had the potential to be a future “champion” sprinter. One thing is certain, runners who have finished respectably (with the definition of “respectably” being somewhat vague in these circumstances, including 20 length defeats) against Rachel Alexandra seem to fair well on their return. Gabby’s Golden Gal, Flashing, and Take the Points are recent examples of this phenomenon. I look for Munnings to stalk and pounce the way he did in the Tom Fool and to prove too much for the competition in the stretch.
Capt. Candyman Can would seem to be the obvious second choice here, having chased Quality Road in that runner’s record setting comeback in the Amsterdam. He thrives at the 7 furlong distance and tends to get decent trips when he runs his best races. It’s been a banner year for Candy Ride offspring, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him prevail. I tend to think Munnings is a shade better, but if the Haskell took anything out of that runner, than Capt. Candyman Can would be a logical shot for win honors.
Vineyard Haven – remember this guy? Back in the winter of 2008/2009, he was squarely atop many an early Kentucky Derby rankings list. One has to wonder if this guy still has that promising talent, or if the window of opportunity has closed? He did win his first stakes here at Saratoga around this time last year, so maybe he’ll perk back up with a return to familiar settings (and an injection of Lasix)? I’m going to give him one more chance, especially since Alan Garcia is aboard. Of course, this also means you get the entry mate, Everyday Heroes, who was rather disappointing in the Amsterdam but capable of a rebound.
I think it goes without saying that you should probably include Big Drama in your trifectas as well. I’d also add Despite the Odds to the mix for trainer Michael Trombetta.
$1 Trifecta: 2/1,3,8/ 1,3,5,8 ($12)
Race 12: The Shadwell Travers (Grade 1) – 1 1/4 Miles
#7 Kensei (7/2)
#4 Quality Road (8/5*)
#6 Summer Bird (3/1)
And here it is – the feature race of the weekend – the 140th running of the “4th jewel of the Triple Crown” – the Grade 1 Shadwell Travers. You already know how I feel about this one - I would’ve loved to see Queen Rachel become the first filly since 1915 to win this race and silence any suggestions that Quality Road has her number. Instead, I’ll have to “settle” for Rachel becoming one of the rarest of the rare; a 3-year-old filly capable of defeating older males at a route distance in a graded stakes. Not that bad a “consolation” prize if you ask me!
Of course, Rachel isn’t here in the Travers, so let’s focus on those who are.
Quality Road; what can I say? He was my guy going into the Kentucky Derby before injury forced him to pull out. After extended time on the shelf he came right back out and ran a record setting 6 1/2 furlongs in the Amsterdam (Grade 2). That race showed he still had his talent. Now we’ll see if the son of Elusive Quality can handle stretchng out to 1 and 1/4 miles. That might be asking quite a bit of this guy, but he is fresh, and if he’s half the horse that folks seem to be whispering he is, this race could be over before it starts.
That being said, I’m going to go with Kensei here. I don’t know what it is about this runner? Perhaps it’s his Japanese inspired name which makes me think of my childhood and the cheesy “black belt theater” movies they used to show on Saturday’s on Philly 57. Whenever I think of him, I think of the introduction to The Shogun’s Assasin.
“You do not understand my words – but you must choose.” Ah yes, just as the assasin commands his son to choose between life and death, so must we select a winner from this field.
This is the horse that Jess Jackson and Steve Asmussen wanted to give a shot in the Travers, and he seems to be one of those “Rodney Dangerfield” type runners who doesn’t get the respect he deserves. i questioned heading into the Dwyer whether he could handle the added distance, and all he’s done since is one up me by going an extra half furlong in the Jim Dandy as well. Respect Kensei. Something tells me he might be up for the fight of his life with Quality Road in the stretch.
Summer Bird is a horse that I have a bit of a connection with. My wife picked him in the Belmont and he went out and won, and then we had the honor of hanging out with trainer Tim Iceand his owners, the Kalarikkal and Jayarman families on Haskell day, where he fought his guts out to run second to the monster I shall not mention again in this post. You know he can get the distance, and now you know he can run gamely being closer up to the pace. I expect a big performance from this stunningly beautiful chestnut.
All of this suggests we just might have a great running of the Travers ahead of us.
One other horse you’ve got to pay some attention to is the hype machine that is Charitable Man. Remember when this guy was going to be the runner that denied Big Brown the Triple Crown? Obviously that didn’t happen, but ever since his victory in the Peter Pan, it feels like we here a “watchout for Charitable Man” warning every few months or so. For my money, he had his chances in the Belmont and Jim Dandy to prove he was the horse many thought he was, and he just wasn’t all he was hyped up to be. He can hit the board, and it would be great for his connections if he finally did take that step forward, but I won’t be wagering on it.
I will be adding in Warrior’s Reward here though at slightly better odds of 8/1. Hey, we may not have got the Medaglia D’Oro offspring we wanted, but consiering this guy held on for 2nd in the Jim Dandy, he looks usable underneath.
$1 Trifecta: 4,7/ 4,6,7/ 3,4,6,7 ($8)
Best of luck to all! May all your wagers be “cashers.”
Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great honor to welcome back the one and only Mr. Del Mar, Matthew Galbreth, the young man we first heard from last week with his accurate prediction of California Flag rising to the occasion in the Green Flash Handicap. He’s now returned to share one of his ideas for increasing public interest in thoroughbred racing.
I think it’s infinitely important that we listen closely to the 20-somethings we have been lucky enough to attract to the sport thus far so as to better understand what they (and folks like them) are thinking. Obviously the old ways aren’t quite working as they should, and in this age of “hope and change” it’s important to consider all opportunities we are afforded.
Of course, I must also point out that I do believe this marks the first time “cougars” have entered the discussion here at The Aspiring Horseplayer – a momentous occasion, indeed!
Once again, here’s Mr. Del Mar, showing us that he’s more than just a one-trick-pony “handicapping machine.”
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It’s been said that girls make the world go ’round and it may well be true when it comes to our sport and it’s success. RACHEL ALEXANDRA and ZENYATTA have been at the forefront of racing for so long that I don’t know if I’m beating a dead horse or writing about a hot topic, maybe both. These ladies have so much star power that people bring signs to the track and are the only two horses I know who have such a following. It’s very refreshing to see fans take an interest in this sudden girl power phenomenon and horse racing finally have stars that aren’t going directly into the breeding world after a brief campaign… these girls are here to race.
The other girl power phenomenon is taking place at the track everyday and on TVG on Friday nights, it is the beautiful girls in attendance and the beautiful girls of the Del Mar Pick 4 Posse. Del Mar always has beautiful girls in attendance from fillies to cougars and it serves the track well by attracting the colts that may not have attended otherwise, our future horseplayers. I say we let the fairer gender take the reigns for a while and see if horse racing can build a younger audience, a new audience and be lifted back to it’s glory days. We all want to see these two horses face off, but the connections of each are treading lightly and that’s because these girls have very different styles and very big reputations to uphold. I may have an idea that would be fair to both camps… THE TRIPLE TIARA.
I became a true horseplayer by way of the hype and major network attention that is The Triple Crown, I’m sure many late bloomers have a similar story. From morning radio talk shows to ESPN highlights this crown jewel of racing gets more attention than an ill behaved child. It’s main strength is the lengthy spotlight that it shines on horse racing, a good three months of major coverage. I propose we have a similar feature and deem it THE TRIPLE TIARA.
We need to harness the star power of ZENYATTA and RACHEL ALEXANDRA so I say we have three races at three different tracks with the only requirement being gender, all age groups, any country or state of origin, just so long as the horses are female. It would be everything the Triple Crown is, but way better. We had a weak Triple Crown this year with the better half of the field not racing in the Derby and this may just make up for it.
Can you imagine the handle at each track if ZENYATTA, RACHEL ALEXANDRA, maybe GOLDIKOVA and throw in some other femme fatales from around the globe took all the debates to the ticket windows? Oh my fellow horseplayers it can be done with the right size purse and we will have very large pools to bet into.
Now for another way to grow our sport and it’s taking place everyday when tracks like Del Mar and Keeneland are open. Horse racing has become a fashion show for the ladies who enjoy visiting the track. Del Mar is especially strong with this maneuver and it’s the only reason many of my friends attend. I’m 27 years old and most of the people I know like making money, like pretty girls, but have little interest in horse racing. I get calls for handicapping advice everyday Del Mar is open and the rest of the year I hear nothing about horse racing from these gents. I say girls get in free, dress to the nines and we provide them with other things to do outside of watching the races. Shopping? I don’t know, but I do know that we have quite a few female horseplayers and I wonder if they originally got into horse racing by way of the track experience and the way many networks show the track fashions and it’s live models. Horses are amazing to watch, girls are amazing to watch and who doesn’t like making money. I say we take our sport to the next level by letting the girls be the show on the track and at the track.
Rachel Alexandra - Photo by Jim McCue of the Maryland Jockey Club
Older males-the “final frontier.” These are the voyages of the filly Rachel Alexandra. Her 3-year-mission thus far being to explore new worlds, to seek out new challenges and competition; to boldly go where no filly has gone before.
“Captain’s Log, Star Date 9/5/09. I, Captain Jess J. Kirk of the starship Rachel Alexandra, after lengthy consultation with the crew, have decided to set course for the uncharted Woodward nebula.”
With word coming yesterday that Rachel Alexandra would skip the Travers and instead point the Woodward Stakes on September 5, the stage is set for the next chapter in her historic campaign to be written. She’s already throttled everything the 3-year-old filly division could throw at her. She’s toyed with the 3-year-old boys in becoming the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness Stakes, and the 2nd filly in 42 years to prevail in the Haskell Invitational. The only worlds left for her to conquer are that of the older runners of both her own division and that of the males she’s been humiliating in recent efforts.
By skipping older fillies and mares and proceeding straight to older males, one might say that she’s jumped right over the double-dog-dare (the Travers), right past the triple-dare (facing older fillies and mares), and thrown down the gauntlet that is the dreaded triple-dog-dare. Here she is fellas, come and catch her if you can.
The decision also sets the stage for her stablemate, the oft-overlooked Kensei, to run in the Travers this weekend against the likes of Summer Bird, Mine That Bird, and Quality Road.
Here’s the funny thing…depending on who Rachel faces in the Woodward, skipping the Travers might actually wind up being an easier path to follow. Usually that’s not the case – as all things being equal older horses tend to be tougher than younger ones, but this year I’m not sure that old axiom holds true.
We started the Triple Crown season assuming we had a distinctly deep crop of 3-year-olds, and we were only focusing on the colts at first. At times we wondered if the depth of the crop might rival that we saw in 2007. Then, as is sadly the case in many years, injuries began to rob us of our most gifted runners. The Pamplemousse, Quality Road, and finally even likely favorite I Want Revenge on Derby morning of all days, all succumbed to nagging injuries and wound up missing the party.
Now we’ve got Quality Road back, and if his record setting effort at Saratoga in the Amsterdam at the beginning of the month was any indication, he’s in sharp form. Even more miraculously, we’ve had other runners such as Mine That Bird, Summer Bird, and now Kensei step up to the plate and prove that we did indeed have a deep and talented crop this year. Then you look at the fillies. While obviously none have quite stacked up to Rachel’s level of greatness, just when you think you’ve got the division all figured out along comes a horse like Careless Jewel, who looks like she could take colts to task if she wanted to as well. And note, we haven’t even mentioned the overseas sensations that are Sariska and Sea of Stars.
But what of our older male division? Well, truth be told, it’s arguably at it’s lowest point ever. Most of the older males worth their salt are already pointing towards the Breeders’ Cup this fall. Synthetic surfaces continue to remain the one frontier that “Captain Jess J. Kirk” does not seem willing to boldly return to and attempt to conquer…at least for now.
Instead, Jackson is literally re-writing the history books as he goes while Rachel’s triumphant victory parade marches through the legendary shrines of horse racing that dot the East Coast and Mid Atlantic Regions. Pimlico, Belmont, and Monmouth have already fallen to Alexandra the Great just the way cities of the ancient world fell to a conqueror of similar name many centuries before.
Will Saratoga be the next great bastion of horse racing fame to compound “before thy most assured overthrow?“
“What say you, Woodward competitors? Will you yield, and this avoid, or guilty in defense be thus destroyed?”
Ah yes, we’re back to quoting Shakespeare here at the Aspiring Horseplayer, which if you recall from my Curlin-obsessed period (I being one who actually divides his life into two segments; BC for “before Curlin” and PC for “post Curlin”),tends to happen when we’re on the cusp of a momentous achievement.
The good news, at least for Rachel’s would-be rivals, is that those who have faced the “Wrath of Rachel” and survived to tell the tale have quite often returned in triumphant fashion. It’s like their resolve has been all the more steeled by staring straight into the eyes of the mythical beast and giving it their all. While she tends to blow away fields by ridiculous open lengths, these runners do not hang their heads for long. Take the Points, Flashing, Gabby’s Golden Gal – all returned to the winner’s circle following dismal performances against the great one.
Lining up to meet Rachel and attempt to deny her latest shot at history will likely be Bullsbay and Macho Again. Fine horses in their own right, but not quite the sizzling matchup we might have had with the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont winners going up against a fresh new challenger like Quality Road. True, there’s history on the line by attempting to become the first filly champion of the Woodward, but the Travers would’ve offered just as much historical precedence. Remember, it’s not been since the days of the Austro-Hungarian empire that a filly has been crowned Travers champion (1915).
No matter, the racing world seems to be pulling out all the stops, including a purse boost to the Woodward in order to help attract as competitive a field as possible. Being as that we’re nearing the one year anniversary of the NTRA marketing summit(click that link for a retrospective look courtesy of the Paulick Report and our fearless TBA leader, Handride) last year where myself and other fans pleaded with the powers that be to do a better job of telling a compelling, continuous story from the Triple Crown to the Breeders’ Cup – I sincerely hope something is being worked out to ensure that both the Travers and the Woodward will be delivered to as wide a viewing audience as possible.
I know I sound like a broken record here, but given the level of “star power” that Rachel has (our Facebook fanclub group alone numbering in the thousands – and keep in mind that the overall number of people revealed in Facebook searches who have even listed “horse racing” as an interest is significantly lower than that total, meaning she exceeds the fanship of all racing fans on that social networking application), it seems to be a horrible mistake that she’s only been nationally broadcast once so far this year in the Preakness. I don’t care what the excuses are - and no doubt some are valid – it’s still inexcusable.
I can understand not covering Zenyatta much this year as she’s progressed through the various “San-Who-Gives-A-Rats?” Stakes in California, but the job we’re doing collectively at promoting our most interesting draw is simply mind bogglingly bad. The Preakness with Rachel blew television viewership levels of recent memory completely out of the water. The single day of wagering helped turn an otherwise disastrous Pimlico meet amidst the “Great Economic Recession” into an improvement over the previous year. You’d think someone, somewhere, might want to try and keep that excitement going?
Is it really that hard to promote something so….promotable? The Geico cavemen sure make it look easy.
“Please, if you don’t mind, let Rachel be herself! So she can shine with her own mind, let her be herself!” (God I love those commercials!!!!)
But then again, as the Paulick Report article I linked to several paragraphs above has to point out, the perception of bloggers like us who call for such things is that we’re peons who spend all day in grandma’s basement, grinding axes against perceived threats out in the ether of the “real world” – which evidently is a frighteningly complex place that our fragile minds are ill-equipped to either confront or understand. Yes, as over-the-top as that description sounds, I suspect that is what comes to mind whenever I utter the dreaded “b-word” to folks (“blogger”), but I digress.
Back to the matter at hand…considering that we’re already missing a matchup of infinite significance that the entire world wants to see (Zenyatta and Rachel) in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita this fall, isn’t just a bit disappointing that we don’t get the dream matchup that would’ve been possible in the Travers? Was it really the wise thing to do to jump right past the double-dog-dare and the triple-dare and move on to older males? I suppose we could armchair general this thing to death, but my hunch tells me that the race fans wanted to see was Rachel versus Quality Road more so than Rachel versus Bullsbay.
Don’t get me wrong, as many know I’ve got a great deal of admiration for Bullsbay since he’s a Tiznow and trained by one of the absolute best their is in Graham Motion, but he’s not the horse you hear people whispering about in connection with Rachel.
For my money, the Travers was setting up to be the race of the year, and we’ve already been jipped out of one race that is intended be the race of the year. I know I’m normally walking in lock-step with Jess on the decisions he makes, but in this case I find myself in mild disagreement. Of course, the whole situation could be rendered academic if either of the “Birds” finds a way to prevail in the Travers, since Rachel has already defeated them. If Quality Road wins, however, then we’ll have a small dose of controversy on our hands as folks begin whispering for a matchup between he and Rachel in addition to the ubiquitous calls for the Rachel versus Zenyatta matchup.
You know what I always say about such things: NEVER wind up in a two front war. That rule being only superceded by it’s sister rule: Never get involved in a land war in Asia.
For Rachel’s connections, I suspect the situation is a bit like a game of “whack-a-mole.” Every time you think she’s knocked out the competition definitively, someone else surfaces purportedly ready for a shot at the title. Who knows, in time that might include her stablemate, Kensei? It ain’t easy being top dog, that’s for sure, no matter how deceptively so Rachel makes it seem.
In an attempt to see if my suspicions about what racing fans wanted to see are correct, I’ve added a poll below. Sound off and let me know what you think. Was it right to point to the Woodward and take on older males, or should Jess and company have opted for the Travers instead?
After an exciting week that included an opportunity to feature a new guest writer break his blogging maiden successfully with California Flag on Wednesday in the Green Flag Handicap, we return this weekend with Saturday Selections for the major races at Monmouth Park, Laurel Park, Saratoga, and Del Mar.
Obviously the big news of the weekend is the possibility that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta could meet in the Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park on October 3, with TVG-Betfair upping the stakes by $400k and promising a $1 million total purse if both super horses wind up competing. It’s probably still unlikely this will happen as we all want, but If nothing else it feels the closest we’ve been all year to the much anticipated and hoped for matchup. Only time will tell if it comes to fruition.
For now though, we’ll focus on the runners who are definitely racing (late scratches obviously exempted from that statement) this weekend.
Monmouth Park – Race 9 – The Phillip H. Iselin (Grade 3) – 1 1/8 Miles
#5 Coal Play (2/1*)
#4 You and I Forever (6/1)
#3 Solar Flare (3/1)
We kick things off with the 75th running of the Phillip Iselin at Monmouth Park. The entire field is filled with “older” horses (over 3-years-old), and some familiar names dot the list including Coal Play, Solar Flare, Chirac and Researcher.
Coal Play is the obvious “horse for the course” selection by virtue of his 3 wins in 5 starts over the Monmouth dirt, as well as place and show finishes. He’s got the speed to really take it to this grouping provided he gets a good trip. No doubt he’ll be hammered at the betting windows, so if you’re looking for a price you won’t be happy.
The rest of the field appears relatively evenly matched on paper, but two horses jump out to me; You and I Forever and Solar Flare. If you can forgive the last our performance against weaker competition over the slop at Churchill, You and I Forever has some sneaky class to consider. If you’re a Beyer Speed Figure player, note that he posted a 104 mark at this distance last summer at Saratoga. That being said, he is winless at 4 tries going a mile and an eighth. Still, I give him a big chance to hit the board here.
Solar Flare has the always dangerous Larry Jones/Gabriel Saez combination working in his favor (26% in the last year). Like the favorite, who he’s chased before, he seems to enjoy the surface at Monmouth. I prefer his recent form over that of other contenders like Researcher and Chirac.
I’ll play the heavy favorite on top with Solar Flare and You and I Forever underneath in the exacta. For the trifecta, you can add in Researcher, Chirac, and Actin Good to the bottom of the ticket.
$1 Exacta: 5/3,4 ($2)
$1 Trifecta: 5/3,4/ 1,2,3,4,7 ($8)
Laurel Park – Race 9 – The Pearl Necklace ($50k) – 1 1/16 Miles – Turf
#9 Blind Date (7/5*)
#7 Ravenous (5/2)
#2 Hogan Beach (8/1)
Saturday’s running of the Pearl Necklace at Laurel Park for Maryland bred 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles over the turf appears to be a two horse race on paper.
Hamilton Smith sends out Blind Date who will be looking for her 5th victory in her last 6 starts. The daughter of Not For Love (Mr. Prospector) towers over the competition from a class perspective by virtue of being the only stakes winner in the field (and in her case, a multiple stakes winner, including the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks).
To win, she’ll need to chase down the speedy Ravenous from trainer Richard Small’s barn. The daughter of Bowman’s Band would appear to be the likely pace setter, and while she’s bound to get her stiffest test yet has shown the ability to wire the field at this distance.
I’ll play the class of Blind Date on top with the speedy Ravenous underneath. To round out the trifecta, I’d consider using both #2 Hogan’s Beach and #1 Southern Charmer, who could both be moving well late.
$1 Exacta: (Box) 7,9 ($2)
$1 Trifecta: 9/7/1,2 ($2)
Saratoga – Race 10 – The Alabama (Grade 1) – 1 1/4 Miles
#8 Milwaukee Appeal (9/2)
#3 Funny Moon (4/1)
#5 Careless Jewel (5/2*)
We move to the hallowed grounds of Saratoga for the 129th running of the Alabama, a race that has a bit of extra meaning for being as that I’m a native son of the land of the Crimson Tide. You know one thing about us Alabamians – having been spoiled with the greatness of Bear Bryant, we like winners…and consistency.
If we were going to go just on straight winning consistency, we’d be winding up with the chalk, Careless Jewel as our top selection. Obviously the daughter of Tapit has been a model of consistency winning three straight races since her debut, largely in speedy gate-to-wire fashion, including a smashing domination of the Delaware Oaks last out on July 18. Two things stack up against her here today, however; class and distance. She’s thus far unproven going the 1 1/4 mile distance, and clearly, despite being a certified Grade 2 winner, she’s never faced quite as tough a field as this.
For those reason, and in an effort to try and beat the chalk with at least one of these picks, I’m turning my attention to the Canadian bred filly Milwaukee Appeal. I actually liked this filly against the Canadian boys in the Princes of Wales and the Queens Plate, and she ran very respectably in each race. I’m hoping her odds hold close to the morning line of 9/2, as she offers real value at that price, but I suspect they’ll come down just a bit once wagering opens. She ran her heart out in the Prince of Wales, which tells me she’s versatile enough to handle the dirt just fine. Her Beyer figures might not be sexy, but she’s a tough cookie in the stretch.
Funny Moon also warrants a good deal of respect. Remember that consistency angle I mentioned earlier? Well, it’s hard to be more consistent than jockey Alan Garcia has been so far at the Saratoga meet. He’s managed to really shine in an incredibly tough jockey colony at Saratoga and gives his horses a big shot in seemingly every race.
This is a very deep field, so it’s not like the other horses I haven’t mentioned don’t have solid chances as well. I could make a case for just about anyone, but would definitely think about including Don’t Forget Gil and Casanova Move on the exotics.
This ought to be a good one, arguably the “race of the day.”
$1 Exacta: 3,8/ 3,5,8 ($4)
$1 Trifecta: 3,8/3,5,8/3,4,5,7,8 ($12)
Del Mar – Race 8 – The Del Mar Oaks (Grade 1) – 1 1/8 Miles – Turf
#5 Well Monied (5/2*)
#8 Hameildaeme (12/1)
#9 Lexlenos (8/1)
The 53rd running of the Del Mar Oaks would seem to be all about Well Monied, the impressive daughter of Maria’s Mon (Wavering Monarch) who has run big at both the Grade 2 and Grade 1 level in recent efforts and owns a perfect 2 for 2 record at the 1 1/8 mile distance. Taking her on will be two stakes winners in Strawberry Tart, and Starlarks. While I like the favorite here on top, I’m looking for value underneath. Well Monied will be a force if she runs her patented race – that much is certain. I’m not sure if any of the horses in this field can beat her without a bit of racing luck, but there could definitely be some shots that hit the board underneath her.
That being said, do be a bit careful in banking too heavily on Well Monied, as jockey Joel Rosario, despite having a sensational Del Mar meet, has had some trouble getting wins over the turf. If she falters, which is definitely possible, then we’d probably see a price explosion on the tote. The only trouble is that chalk has been exceptionally tough to defeat at Del Mar so far this week. Thursday was a veritable chalk-fest, and as of this writing, the Friday card seems to be much the same.
Hameildaeme is a runner who seems to be slowly putting it all together. If you read Jay Hovdey’s excellently insightful article in the Saturday edition of the Daily Racing Form, you know that her connections feel she may be a good one…if they can get her into the gate without losing her mind. I went back and looked at her effort in the San Clemente against Starlarks and Strawberry Tart and saw enough to give her a shot here to turn the tables on them with a better overall trip.
Lexlenos has run into Well Monied in consecutive races, as well as the very sharp Gozzip Girl, who is probably a shade better right now than Well Monied as far as 3-year-old turf fillies are concerned (as evidenced by Gozzip Girl’s 3 1/4 length victory over Well Monied in the Grade 1 American Oaks). If those fillies are among the best of the 3-year-old turfers, than Lexlenos has to be respected as an exacta/trifecta consideration by virtue of her 3rd place finishes in the last two efforts.
This might be a race to go a bit deep underneath, for as mentioned earlier, it’s filled with horses who have a shot. I’ll add in Internallyflawless, Strawberry Tart, and Starlarks to the equation underneath.
$1 Exacta: 5/ 8,9 ($2)
$1 Trifecta: 5/ 8,9/ 1,6,7,8,9 ($8)
Best of luck to everyone and happy Saturday betting!
It brings me great honor to introduce a guest blogger to you all for this week. Ladies and gentlemen, please meet Matthew Galbreth, better known as “MrDelMar” over on the TVG Community message boards.
Matt has brought his passion and love for the game to the TVG Community each night, and is most famous for tirelessly organizing the Community version of the “Pick 4 Posse” – even gaining mention from on-air hosts Ken Rudolph, Simon Bray, and Todd Schrupp.
I asked Matt to stop over and author a few guest posts if he was interested as he’s the type of guy who has an infectious love of the game. These are his first public writing forays, so I hope everyone will give him a warm reception and encourage him to share more thoughts whenever the mood strikes him. He’s got an open invitation to do so here anytime he wishes.
Who knows? With a little luck, perhaps he’ll take to this whole blogging thing and become a future TBA blogger?
Without further adieu, meet Mr.DelMar – Matthew Galbreth.
In Wednesday’s feature race where the turf meets the surf at Old Del Mar in the Green Flash Handicap we have a turf sprinting monster on our hands in CALIFORNIA FLAG. Happy horses are bed in California like our 5 year old gelding here. This horse is California in every way, he loves himself some R & R, as you will see from his record off the layoff and takes to the grass very well. I think there is no better place for a horse like this to race than right near the beach.
I’ve seen this beast run many times and embarrass his rivals, this horse wins for fun or just isn’t into it. He may very well be a need the lead type, but with smokin’ Joe on board, if there’s a gap they’re getting through it. It’s not that this horse can’t rate, he’s never tried it. CALIFORNIA FLAG is so fast that all we’ve seen is him take the lead or duel for it. Maybe he can rate or maybe not, but at five furlongs who cares? I’m well aware of the statistic of wins from off the pace at five furlongs on turf, but this horse has already faced many of the same rivals and crushed them. If you look to his record on this exact course and distance, he is one for two. You also may notice that his only loss on this course came before he had broken his maiden at the maiden special weight level in his third career start. Last time this horse raced this course he won by a neck and beat one of today’s rivals in EUROGLIDE by almost two lengths.
California Flag runs away with the Hollywood Turf Express – 11/29/08
CALIFORNIA FLAG is similar to LAVA MAN in that their strength comes from their sure footedness. Both of these horses have won their races on the turns and both love to win races, even as older geldings… old pros if you like. I think the spotlight should be on this race and on this horse tomorrow and it’s really up to CALIFORNIA FLAG to score one for California today, to score one for Californians at the most California track there is.
Enjoy this horse, enjoy this race, enjoy Del Mar, make sure to wear your shades so you can check out the girls and go hit the beach after you cash yourself a winner. It’s a great time to visit Del Mar and I hope everyone makes the most of it, the season is short you know.
He may be an elder statesmen at 10-years-old and counting, but fan favorite Better Talk Now might have just enough left in those wise old legs of his to kick on home in the stretch of Saturday’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. The former turf champion may have his work cut out for him, but if he can rekindle some of that magic that saw him pull the upset in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf, this just might be the day his fans have been waiting years to see.
To do so, he’ll need to be able to prevail against the likes of Grand Couturier, and the sneakily dangerous Lauro, as well as a host of other contenders including Telling, American, Gentleman Chester, Quijano, Rising Moon, Americain, and Brass Hat. The field sets up like this:
Grand Couturier (GB) – Alan Garcia/ R. Ribaudo (3/1*)
Rising Moon – Kent Desormeaux/ R. Dutrow Jr. (12/1)
Americain – J.R. Velazquez/ Todd Pletcher ( 9/2)
Telling – Javier Castellano/ S. Hobby (20/1)
Quijano (GER) - A. Starke/ P. Schiergen (5/1)
Brass Hat – Calvin Borel/ W. Bradley (12/1)
Musketier (GER) – J.C. Jones/ R.L. Attfield (6/1)
First things first – I’ve got to confess that Better Talk Now is one of my favorite horses of all time. I know he’s not quite the same runner who triumphed in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf, but there’s simply so much to love about this horse. Amy and I had the pleasure of meeting him several weeks ago when photographer Julie Ziek invited us to visit Graham Motion’s Herringswell Stables at Fair Hill, MD. “Blackie” was as advertised – hamming it up for the cameras following a light workout and being his usual frisky self while folks attempted to give him a bath.
He has a peculiar habit of crossing his back legs – as if to say “yes, I know I’m a rock star.” Even more entertaining is the fact that he seems to become even more of a ham when knows people are watching. Just being in his presence though, you could instantly feel you were with a champion. There’s just something special about him. You can’t help but LOVE this guy!
I guess that’s why he has such a high volume of admirers. No matter where you turn in the world of horse racing, from the folks on Cindy Dulay’s horse-races.net forums, to the folks on the new TVG Community site - you’re bound to run into diehard Better Talk Now fans. He might not get the headlines of runners like Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta, but he’s got an army of fans amongst those who appreciate what it takes to be competing at a Grade 1 level at 10-years-old.
And who better for Better Talk Now to be in the care of than Graham Motion? I can honestly say that for horse lovers out there, do yourself a favor and take a visit to his stable – it will do your soul good. With all of the press that the bad elements of the game like Paragallo have received in recent months, it’s comforting to know that there are folks out there who put the care of their horses first and foremost. I feel horrible even uttering the name Paragallo in the same sentence as Motion. The two could not be more opposite; the proverbial “night and day.”
Herringswell Stables is a top class operation. You can see it in the eyes of their charges. You walk into the barn and all of their animals are beaming with joy. Put plainly, “Blackie” could not be in better care, and it’s no surprise to me that he’s maintained soundness over such a long career. All one need to see is how well cared for he is.
Looking over the race, I really do think he’s got a big shot here. He’s been knocking on the door, and you just have this feeling building up inside of you that he’s going to deliver one more great memory to his fans. I haven’t felt strongly that he had a chance to win any of his previous 2009 efforts, but he’s run very well in each of them, including over softer footing. Call it a hunch or whatever you will – my gut tells me today will be Blackie’s day.
As for the rest of the field, there’s much to like about both Lauro and Quijano as well. Lauro had the misfortune of having to zero in on Presious Passion when that runner ran away with the United Nations. While folks tend to remember the 20 length lead early on, remember that it was Lauro running well late who finished second. I’d expect Lauro to be more forwardly placed in the Sword Dancer. I’m not sure if he’ll be on the lead, but he’ll probably be close, which could set him up for a nice trip.
Quijano is a multiple Group One winner in his own right, and if you’re like me you always give a little added dose of respect to the European bred runners in turf events. Quijano and Musketier both chased Gio Ponti (whom I contend at least belongs in the discussion for Horse of the Year, provided he wins out through the Breeders’ Cup Turf this fall) last time out and ran respectably, so look for them to make some noise in the Sword Dancer as well. I look for Musketier and Lauro to be involved early on, with Quijano and Americain putting in their runs followed by Grand Couturier and Better Talk Now.
I’m playing my heart in this one. I know that’s not a smart thing to do from a “handicapping” pespective, but when you’ve got one of your favorite horses running for one of your favorite horsemen, you’ve just got to beleive it’s possible. I’m guessing that Better Talk Now will out finish Lauro and Quijano in the stretch and send his fans into shrieking fits of euphoria. It’s been a long time since the 2007 Manhattan when he last found the winner’s cirlce. A victory today would be a highlight of the summer for yours truly even (if this is at all possible) rivalling for me the victories of Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness and Haskell.
It’s not like you can count Graham Motion out up at Saratoga either…Bullsbay, anyone?
I’ll go 4/3,8/ 1,3,6,7,8,10 on the $1 trifecta for a total cost of $10.
Obviously then I’m using Lauro and Quijano in the place position, and adding in Grand Couturier, Americain, Musketier, and the longshot Telling to round out the superfecta.
That being said, there’s only one horse I’ll be rooting for.
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